National Achievement semifinalists named

More than 1,600 African American high school seniors have been named semifinalists for the National Achievement Scholarship Program, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

These students will compete for 800 Achievement Scholarship® awards worth about $2.5 million. The semifinalists have to fulfill several requirements to advance to the next level of competition. The National Achievement Scholarship Program, conducted by NMSC, is a privately-financed academic competition that operates without government assistance.

It was initiated in 1964 to recognize academically promising black students throughout the nation. More than 33,000 students have received these scholarships totalling $105 million. The winners are selected based on their academic record, involvement in school, community activities, leaderships abilities and other criteria.